Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane shared subtle first symptom he noticed that led to ALS diagnosis

Eric Dane has opened up about the subtle signs he experienced before being diagnosed with ALS, which he had initially ignored.

The actor, 52, who is best known for Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria revealed in April 2025 that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

He opened up about life after his diagnosis in a powerful interview with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America.

What were the first symptoms Eric Dane experienced before being diagnosed with ALS?

Dane revealed that the first warning sign of his ALS diagnosis was what he initially believed to be ordinary hand fatigue.

Eric Dane opened up about his ALS diagnosis. Credit: Axelle / Bauer-Griffin / FilmMagic / Getty Images.

“I started experiencing some weakness in my right hand, and I didn't really think anything of it at the time,” he explained.

“I thought maybe I had been texting too much, or my hand was fatigued. But a few weeks later, I noticed it had gotten a little worse.”

Dane revealed that the ongoing hand issue led him to seek help from not one, but two hand specialists — who then passed him along to two neurologists. The last one finally told him: “This is way above my pay grade.”

Dane revealed it took nine months of doctor visits and testing to finally be diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a rare and progressive neurological disease that robs the body of its ability to move, talk, eat, and breathe.

Since then, his condition has advanced to the point where only his left arm still works.

“I have one functioning arm. My dominant side. My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working,” he explained.

“I feel like maybe a couple, few more months, and I won't have my left hand either. It's sobering.”

Eric Dane revealed the ways in which the condition has begun to affect him. Credit: Gilbert Flores / Getty Images

He also revealed that it's likely his left arm will be affected too, as when asked by Sawyer whether it's "fine", Dane responded: "No, it's going."

He added that he's especially scared about losing the use of his legs, after a terrifying incident at sea with his daughter.

The actor recalled a harrowing moment from a recent trip when he jumped into the ocean but realized his body couldn’t carry him back.

“When I jumped in the ocean that day and realized I couldn't swim [or] generate enough power to get myself back to the boat, I thought, 'Oh, God,'” the actor revealed.

“And then I realized in that moment I'm not safe in the water anymore.”

He revealed that the incident put his life into perspective, adding: "I'm angry because my father was taken from me when I was young, and now there's a very good chance I'm going to be taken from my girls while they're very young."

Dane’s father died by suicide when the actor was just seven years old. Now, Dane fears his ALS diagnosis is taking him away from daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, whom he shares with wife and actress Rebecca Gayheart.

Featured image credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images